Brassiere and the like



June 21, 1938. I RUE 2,121,088

y BRASSIERE AND THE LIKE ori inal Filed Sept. 17, 1934 3 2 I772271635425; Z1 ,2 In Z2149.

Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I BRASSIERE AND THELIKE Dee La Rue, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 17, 1934, Serial No. 744,306 Renewed November 13,1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in brassires and relatesparticularly to what may be called mother's brassieres, or lying-inbrassieres or nursing brassieres.

The advantages of my invention will be realized, especially by thenursing mother of a new born infant. Such a mother is in about asweakened a state as she could be and it is desirable to eliminate asmuch movement and inconvenience of all kinds as is possible for the bestinterest of both the mother and the child.

The brassiere arrangements now in use for such purposes are attended.with much disadvantage as is well known. Much lifting and shifting ofthe body is necessary to arrange for the nursing of thechild} and alsoan unnecessary large breast area is exposed with attendant danger fromcold and also embarrassment, besides other well known disadvantages.

My object has been to provide a brassiere whereby a mother may nurse achild with a minimum of movement andinconvenience, and with a minimum ofexposure. Another object has been to provide a brassire which will beself adjustable easily, both around the waist and over the shoulders andone which will be easily removable. In addition, another object has beento provide a brassiere which will properly retain and position thebreasts, giving the necessary lift.

To this end I have illustrated inthe preferred form selected, a brassirehaving a pair of openings for the breasts and a'. pair of flaps adaptedto be cross hooked to close the brassiere and protect the breasts andeffectively contain and position the-breasts, and either or both ofwhich may be unfastened to provide for convenient and safe nursing. Ihave also provided-for fastening the brassiere by simple means in thefront whereby it may be easily unfastened for self removal if desired. Ihave provided also for simple self adjustment around the waist and overthe shoulders.

After use for nursing the flaps may be stitched if desired and thebrassire may be used in that condition permanently to retain theadvantages of its natural uplift and positioning andother features.

Another object has been to provide a device of the kind which will besimple in construction and reasonable in cost to manufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of partshereinafter described and-claimed.

The invention will be best understood. by reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this specification; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view showing the device applied to thebody;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view taken on the line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, except that the adjustable flap isremoved;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the entire device;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of one breast portion and side with the flapclosed;-

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5, with the flap turned back;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5 ofthe adjustable inset of my invention; and

Fig. 8 is a view of the modified form of shoulder strap arrangement.

The preferred form selected in the drawing to illustrate the principleof my invention com- 2 prises a brassire l0 having a back body portionH, a left front body portion l2 and a right front body portion l3. Thebackbody portion II is provided with shoulder strap portions l4 havingeyelets I5. The shoulder strap portions M are narrow as shown and arebroadened at I6, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, at the bottom as theymerge into the back body portion II to prevent distortion as will bemanifest. body portion II, and practically the entire brassire I0 isprovided with a reinforcing band ll to strengthen the device and preventdistortion. The back body portion ll is cut to form the relatively lowcut back, as shown, and is deeply cut, as shown, to provide right andleft underarm portions l8. Each of the underarm portions I8 is sewn toan inset l9, each side of which is hemmed as at 20, and each hem 2!!isprovided with eyelets 2|, as shown in Figs.'5 and 7.

The back body portion H is in one piece in the form shown, except forthe band I1, and the portion II is adapted to be laced to the front Theback r right and left breast portions as will appear here inafter.

The two body portions l2 and I3 are substantially the same anddescription of one will suffice. Taking the left front body portion I 2;it is made in one piece in the preferred form shown, and has anintegrally formed hooked strap portion 22 and hooks 23 for engagementwith one strap portion M. The left front body portion I2 is providedwith an aperture 24 which is fitted around the central portion of theleft breast and through which the central portion of the plete a desiredpocket structure and make a desirable fit.

The body portion i2 is also provided with a straight edge hemmed portion3| with eyelets 32, and of course, it will be understood from thedrawing that the other body portion I3 is similarly constructed with aseamed edge portion,

The arrangement is such 33 withhooks 34. that the hem portion 33 lapsover on the hem portion 3| with the hooks and eyelets engaging invisiblyto close the front of the brassiere and also to make the brassiereeasily removable.

Means are provided, for example, in the case of a nursing mother, forconcealing and protecting the breast when she is not nursing, and forconveniently exposing the breast in' nursing without removing or openingthe brassiere proper.

To accomplish the result of the preferred form shown, I provide 'a flap35 on a body portion i2 and another flap 35 on the body portion l3.These fiaps,are particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 4, and 6. Each flapis substantially the same and the description of one will be sufficient.The flap 35 is composed of three pieces, 31, 38 and 33 in the preferredform shown, and they are seamed together by seams 40. The piece 31 isprovided in the form shown with a pair of darts 4| and the pieces areout on curves as shown in the preferred form and darts are arranged aswill be understood by those experienced in the art, to form a pocket 42in each flap, said pocket 42 being clearly illustrated, particularly inFig. 2. The body portion i2 and the flap 35 and the inset l9 arestitched together in a seam 43 and the seam 43 is provided with eyelets44. The flap 35 and the body portion I! are stitched also, as at seam 45shown in Fig. 4 and are stitched also as at seam 46, shown in Figs. 4and 6.

By this arrangement, the flap is partially sewn to the body portion II.The arrangement of the seams 45 and 46 particularly, completes formationof the pocket 42 so that when 'the flap is hooked as hereinafterdescribed it will lift and properly position and retain the breast. Theunstitched or free end of the flap as illustrated in Fig. 6 is providedwith a hook adapted to engage an eyelet 43 on the body portion l2. Inthe same manner, the other flap is provided with a hook and the bodyportion I3 is provided with an eyelet for engagement. It will thus beseen that when the flaps are lapped and hooked as shown in Fig. 1, thedesired positioning and lift will be accomplished. It will be manifestthat the flap registers with and covers the aperture 24 to effectivelyprotect the breast in hooked condition and may easily be unhooked ,toconveniently expose only a minimum necessary breast area, thereby alsoprotecting the breast;

Laces 43 are provided for each pair of eyelets 2| and 44 for adjustment.By this means it will be manifest that lateral adjustment may beaccomplished very easily by the user herself and this adjustment maycover one or more sizes each way.

In Fig. 8, a modification of the shoulder strap means is shown, and thebody portions l2 and I3 have modified pointed strap engagement portions50 and the back portion II has modified pointed strap engaging portions5| provided with buttons 52. An elastic strap is provided with aplurality of button holes 54 for vertical adjustment. By this means theuser may conveniently make effective self adjustment. The importance,

of this self adjustment laterally and vertically should be manifest, butits full importance will be realized by those who have had practicalexperience with the devices now in use on the market.

My arrangement eliminates practically all of the necessary shifting andother inconveniences attached to such devices.

The operation of the device will be manifest without explanation.

I have, in the preferred form shown, provided illustrated forms'of flapsand body portion arrangements and various cuts and darts to form thepockets and various means of adjustment, but it should be realized thatthese features are merely forms used to illustrate the invention and maybe varied as the particular arrangements that I have shown are notnecessary. I,

\ therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details ofconstruction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion providedwith a pair of pockets for containing parts of the body and providedwith a circular opening in each of said pockets said brassiere bodyportion also having means adapted to provide for a vertical support ofsaid parts of the body, flaps lateraly secured to said body portionadjacent said opening said flaps being formed in a pocket-like shape toprovide auxiliary supporting means for supporting said parts of the bodyin a vertical and lateral manner, and detachable securing means for theends of said flaps said securing means being adapted for the overlappingof the free ends of said flaps for vertical and lateral support.

2. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion providedwith a pair of openings, flaps laterally secured to said body portionadjacent said openings, and detachable securing means for securing thefree ends of said flaps with one flap overlapping the other.

3. In a device of the kind described, a brassiere body portion providedwith a pair of openings, flaps laterally secured to said body portionadjacent said openings, said flaps being formed in a pocket like shapeto provide auxiliary supporting means for supporting parts of the body,and detachable securing means for securing the free ends of said flapswith one flap overlapping the other.

DE LA RUE.

